leave of absence, at the rate of $600 per annum, was authorized by Act June 27, 1884, c. 126, post, § 7243.

Subsequent provisions relating to the employment and compensation of substitute carriers were made by Act June 13, 1898, c. 446, § 1, Act March 3, 1905, c. 1480, § 1, Act March 2, 1907, c. 2513, and Act March 4, 1913, c. 143, post, §§ 7245-7248.

§ 7236. (Act March 2, 1907, c. 2513.) Clerks in first and second class post-offices and carriers in city delivery service; grades; promotions; transfers; auxiliary employés; substitutes. After June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seven, clerks in offices of the first and second class and carriers in the city delivery service shall be divided into six grades, as follows: First grade, salary six hundred dollars; second grade, salary eight hundred dollars; third grade, salary nine hundred dollars; fourth grade, salary one thousand dollars; fifth grade, salary one thousand one hundred dollars; sixth grade, salary one thousand two hundred dollars. Clerks and carriers at first-class offices shall be promoted successively to the fifth grade, and clerks and carriers at second-class offices shall be promoted successively to the fourth grade.

That after June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seven, all promotions of both clerks and carriers shall be made at the beginning of the quarter following the expiration of a year's service in the next lower grade. No promotion shall be made except upon evidence satisfactory to the Post-Office Department of the efficiency and faithfulness of the employee during the preceding year. The Post-Office Department may reduce a clerk or carrier from a higher to a lower grade whenever his efficiency falls below a fair standard or whenever necessary for purposes of discipline. When a clerk or carrier has been reduced in salary he may be restored to his former grade or advanced to an intermediate grade at the beginning of any quarter following the reduction, on evidence that his record has been satisfactory during the intervening period. When a clerk or carrier fails of promotion because of unsatisfactory service he may be promoted at the beginning of the second. quarter thereafter, or of any subsequent quarter, on evidence that his record has been satisfactory during the intervening period. Clerks and carriers of the highest grade in their respective offices shall be eligible for promotion to the higher positions in said post-offices.

That after June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seven, any clerk shall be eligible for transfer to the service of a carrier, and any carrier shall be eligible for transfer to the service of a clerk, such transfer to be made to any grade not higher than the corresponding grade of salary, and the time which such clerk or carrier shall have served in the grade from which such transfer was made shall be counted in connection with the service to which such transfer may be made in computing the time of service necessary to entitle such employees to promotion: Provided, That no clerk or carrier shall be promoted more than one grade within any one year's period of service: Provided, however, That the carriers who on June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seven, are regularly employed at a salary of eight hundred dollars per annum, shall be promoted to the fourth grade upon evidence satisfac

tory to the Post-Office Department of the efficiency and faithfulness of the employee during at least one year's service.

That after June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seven, auxiliary employees may be employed to be paid for actual service at the rate of thirty cents an hour: Provided, That such employees shall be required to work not less than two hours daily, and may serve as substitutes: And provided further, That such employees shall be eligible for appointment as clerks and carriers of the first grade.

That after June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seven, substitutes may be employed to be paid at the rate of thirty cents an hour when serving for absent clerks and carriers: Provided, That such substitutes shall be eligible for appointment as auxiliary employees and as clerks. and carriers of the first grade. (34 Stat. 1206.)

These were provisions of the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1908, cited above.

Provisions of this act relating to the rate of compensation of acting or substitute carriers and clerks and other temporary employés are set forth post, 7247.

The first grade for clerks was abolished after June 30, 1913, by Act March 4, 1913, c. 143, post, § 7237.

Provisions for the appointment of substitute clerks or carriers to the second grade were contained in Act March 4, 1913, c. 143, post, § 7237.

§ 7237. (Act March 4, 1913, c. 143.) First grade for clerks and carriers abolished; appointments to second grade; promotions.

After June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and thirteen, the first grade for clerks and carriers shall be abolished and that appointments shall be made to the second grade, salary $800; and that clerks and carriers at first-class offices shall be promoted successively to the fifth grade and clerks and carriers at second-class offices shall be promoted successively to the fourth grade. (37 Stat. 794.)

This was a proviso accompanying an appropriation for clerks and clerks in charge of stations in the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1914, cited above.

The grades for clerks and carriers were established by Act March 2, 1907, c. 2513, ante, § 7236.

§ 7238. (Act Aug. 24, 1912, c. 389, § 5.) Eight hour day for clerks and carriers; schedules of duty; overtime; compensatory time for Sunday work.

On and after March fourth, nineteen hundred and thirteen, letter carriers in the City Delivery Service and clerks in first and second class post offices shall be required to work not more than eight hours a day: Provided, That the eight hours of service shall not extend over a longer period than ten consecutive hours, and the schedules of duty of the employees shall be regulated accordingly.

In cases of emergency, or if the needs of the service require, letter carriers in the City Delivery Service and clerks in first and second class post offices can be required to work in excess of eight hours a day, and for such additional services they shall be paid extra in proportion to their salaries as fixed by law.

Should the needs of the service require the employment on Sunday of letter carriers in the City Delivery Service and clerks in first and second class post offices, the employees who are required and ordered to perform Sunday work shall be allowed compensatory time on one of the six days following the Sunday on which they perform such service. (37 Stat. 554.)

This section was part of the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1913, cited above.

It superseded a provision that eight hours should constitute a day's work for letter-carriers and that they should be paid extra for overtime contained in Act May 24, 1888, c. 308, 25 Stat. 157.

It also superseded provisions limiting the number of hours of work for letter carriers each week to forty-eight and providing that any work done on a legal holiday should count as eight hours regardless of the time actually employed contained in Act June 2, 1900, c. 613, § 1, 31 Stat. 257.

Previous provisions allowing compensatory time for services required on Sundays were made by Act March 4, 1911, c. 241, § 3, post, § 7239.

§ 7239. (Act March 4, 1911, c. 241, § 3.) Compensatory time allowed for services required on Sundays of supervisory officers, clerks in first and second class offices, and city letter carriers. Hereafter for services required on Sundays of supervisory officers, clerks in first and second class post offices, and city letter carriers, compensatory time off during working days in amount equal to that of the Sunday employment may be allowed, under such regulations as the Postmaster General may prescribe; but this provision shall not apply to auxiliary or substitute employees. (36 Stat. 1339.)

This section and the section next following were part of the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1912, cited above.

Subsequent provisions allowing compensatory time for services required on Sunday of carriers and clerks in first and second class offices were made by Act Aug. 24, 1912, c. 389, § 5, ante, § 7238.

7240. (Act March 4, 1911, c. 241, § 4.)

Salaries, etc., of em

ployés at annual or monthly rate; rules for division of time and computation of pay.

After June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and eleven, where the salary or compensation of any employee in the postal service is at an annual or monthly rate, the following rules shall be followed in computing the amount due: An annual salary or compensation shall be divided into twelve equal installments, one of which shall be the pay for each calendar month; and in making payment for a fractional part of any calendar month there shall be paid such proportion of one of such installments, or of the amount of the monthly salary or compensation, as the number of days in the fractional part of that month bears to the actual number of days in that month. (36 Stat. 1339.)

This section was part of the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1912, cited above.

Similar rules for computation of the compensation of any person in the service of the United States were made by Act June 30, 1906, c. 3914, § 6, ante, § 3243.

§ 7241. (Act Oct. 1, 1890, c. 1260.) Leaves of absence to employés in first and second class post-offices and in mail-bag repair shops.

That from and after July first, eighteen hundred and ninety, the clerks and employees attached to first and second class post-offices and the employees of the mail-bag repair shops connected with the Post-Office Department of the United States, whether employed by the month, day or otherwise, be allowed leaves of absence, with full pay, for not exceeding fifteen days in any one fiscal year: Provided, That no clerk nor employee be granted a leave under the provisions of this bill until he has performed service for one year. (26 Stat. 648.)

This was an act entitled "An act granting leaves of absence to clerks and employés in first and second class post-offices, and to employés in the Postoffice Department employed in the mail-bag repair shops connected with said department."

Employés in the mail-bag repair shops in Washington and Chicago, and in the mail-lock repair shop in Washington, may be allowed thirty days annual leave of absence by a provision of Act Aug. 24, 1912, c. 389, post, § 7242.

Provisions for leaves for absence and vacations for railway postal clerks were made by Act March 1, 1909, c. 232, and Act March 4, 1913, c. 143, post, §§ 7521-7523.

§ 7242. (Act Aug. 24, 1912, c. 389.) Leave of absence to employés of certain mail-bag and mail-lock repair shops.

Hereafter the employees of the mail-bag repair shop in Washington, District of Columbia, and Chicago, Illinois, and the employees of the mail-lock repair shop in Washington, District of Columbia, may be allowed thirty days annual leave of absence. (37 Stat. 546.)

This was a provision accompanying an appropriation for compensation to labor employed in the mail-lock repair shop at Washington in the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1913, cited above.

§ 7243. (Act June 27, 1884, c. 126.)

substitute carriers.

Leaves of absence to carriers;

All letter-carriers at free-delivery offices shall be entitled to leave of absence, not to exceed fifteen days in each year, without loss of pay; and the Postmaster-General is hereby authorized to employ, when necessary, during the time such leave of absence is granted, such number of substitute letter-carriers as may be deemed advisable, who shall be paid for services rendered at the rate of six hundred dollars per annum. (23 Stat. 60.)

This was an act entitled "An act to grant letter-carriers at free delivery offices fifteen days' leave of absence in each year."

The appointment of substitute letter carriers at the compensation of one dollar per annum and the pro rata compensation of the carriers whose routes they are required to serve was authorized by Act Feb. 21, 1879, c. 95, § 4, as amended by Act Aug. 2, 1882, c. 373, § 2, ante, § 7235.

Clerks and employés in first and second class post-offices and employés in the mail-bag repair shops were granted 15 days' leave of absence in each year, with pay, by Act Oct. 1, 1890, c. 1260, ante, § 7241.

The employment of substitutes for, letter carriers in the city free-delivery service, absent from duty for any cause other than the fifteen days' annual leave, which was allowed by the provision of this section, and payment therefor from the lapsed salary of such absent carrier, were authorized by a provision of Act March 3, 1905, c. 1480, § 1, post, § 7245. Further provisions re

lating to the employment and compensation of substitutes for absent carriers and clerks were made by Act March 2, 1907, c. 2513, ante, § 7236.

Leave of absence to letter carriers of the rural delivery service was authorized by a provision of said Act March 2, 1907, c. 2513, post, § 7298.

Leave of absence to postal employés is exclusive of Sundays and holidays, by a provision of Act May 27, 1908, c. 206, post, § 7244.

§ 7244. (Act May 27, 1908, c. 206.) Leaves of absence to postal employés exclusive of Sundays and holidays.

Hereafter the leave of absence authorized by law to postal employees shall be construed exclusive of Sundays and holidays. (35 Stat. 413.)

This was a provision of the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1909, cited above, accompanying appropriations for and provisions relating to the railway mail service, but applying in terms to all "postal employees."

A previous similar provision, without the word "hereafter," and applying to clerks in post-offices only, was made by Act March 2, 1907, c. 2513, 34 Stat. 1213.

Provisions authorizing leaves of absence to clerks and employés in first and second class post-offices were made by Act Oct. 1, 1890, c. 1260, ante, § 7241.

§ 7245. (Act March 3, 1905, c. 1480, § 1.) Substitutes for clerks in first or second class post-offices or in Railway Mail Service, or for carriers in city free delivery service, during absence other than annual leave.

Hereafter when any clerk in post-offices of the first or second class, or in the Railway Mail Service; or any letter carrier in the city free-delivery service; is absent from duty from any cause, other than the fifteen days' annual leave with pay allowed by law, the PostmasterGeneral, under such regulations as he may prescribe, may authorize the employment of a substitute for such work, and payment therefor from the lapsed salary of such absent clerk, or letter carrier, at a rate not to exceed the pay of the grade of work performed by such substitute. (33 Stat. 1085.)

This was a provision of the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1906, cited above.

Previous provisions for the employment of substitute carriers were made by amendment of Act Feb. 21, 1879, c. 95, § 4, by Act Aug. 2, 1882, c. 373, § 2, ante, § 7235, and Act June 27, 1884, c. 126, ante, § 7243.

A subsequent provision for the employment of substitutes for absent clerks and carriers, was made by Act March 2, 1907, c. 2513, post, § 7247.

Subsequent provisions for the pay of substitute clerks in post-offices of the first and second class and carriers in the city delivery service, absent without pay, were made by Act March 4, 1913, c. 143, post, § 7248.

§ 7246. (Act June 13, 1898, c. 446, § 1.) Substitutes for clerks subpœnaed as witnesses.

That the Postmaster-General be, and he is hereby, authorized to employ substitutes in the place of clerks subpoenaed as witnesses in the United States courts in cases arising under the United States laws, and to expend for the employment of such substitutes a sum equal to the compensation allowed the clerks during the time actually absent from duty attending court. (30 Stat. 440.)

This was a provision of the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1899, cited above.